Unreached
by zephy-chan
Summary: //AU,two-shot//I don't know what I have to do anymore.I even do not know what I'm living for.I don't know what I'm feeling.Did I really want to continue living this trash of life?Until when will I continue these lies?Did I fail my life,Oyaji?
1. Chapter 1

**Prince of Tennis – Unreached**

Disc. : I don't own Prince of Tennis. Shame, I don't own Ryoma and Marui too…

**NOTE : This is, as usual, consists of major friendship, angst, and hurt. Don't forget, leave your reviews after you read this. Enjoy.

* * *

**

"All right, class, it's all for today. Good afternoon. Class dismisses!"

"Good afternoon and thank you, sensei!" the students of class Math 3-A stood up and bowed as their teacher left the class. Once the teacher vanished, the class exploded in grateful.

"Aaahhhh, thank goodness today is end!"

"What was that for? It's just like living a hell itself, damn it!"

"Damn those teachers… and look at these home works and exercises!"

Marui Bunta sighed and popped his favorite apple gum. Indeed, his teachers are damn. But, he scowled silently; they are the great students of Mathematic Department after all. No wonder their teacher had been giving them lots of tasks and exercises everyday. Marui gathered up his things. He stood up from his chair and walked to the door. He was about to close the door behind when he spotted a figure of a young boy from the corner of his eyes. Marui frowned and walked back to the boy.

"Echizen?" Marui called out for his roommates in the dormitory, chewing his gum. But the smaller boy seemed not heard Marui. Marui sighed again. He patted Echizen's shoulder, "Oi, Echizen! You're slacking off!"

Echizen Ryoma jolted on his chair, looked up to Marui. "Yes?"

Marui shook his head. "Are you all right? You have been spacing out for these past few days, Echizen."

"I'm fine." Echizen replied in his usual flat voice. He stood up and began to gather his things too.

"Are you going back to the dorm?" Marui asked as both of them walked out from the class.

"Hn." Echizen mumbled and nodded. He shifted his bag to his left shoulder. "The tennis practice is at 17.30, remember?"

Marui blinked. He had forgotten about the tennis practice! He groaned. "Tch, I forgot about that." He eyed Echizen worriedly, "Hey, you don't have to push yourself this hard just because you're a new student, you know. You have not been sleeping for the last two days, I saw you were doing all of those book's exercises."

"I'm fine, thanks." Echizen quickened his pace, leaving Marui in concern and confusion. Being the boy's roommate for seven months already, Marui knew that Echizen is a very quiet and anti-social person.

"That guy is sure strange," Marui shrugged. He popped his gum only to get his face covered in it, "Wha - ! Hmph, samwan helmme!"

* * *

Echizen opened his dormitory's room. He stepped in and put his bag on his bed. He got dressed quickly with his tennis's suit and grabbed his tennis bag, which placed under his desk, walked out again from the room.

It had been almost eight months since he transferred to here – the Nihon Daigaku Narashino High School, one of the rare boarding schools in Japan – from America. His father, who was once a legendary professional tennis player, decided to take his family back to his homeland. Thanks to Ryoma's incredible brain that scored almost 200 of IQ, he was placed on the third grade. Luckily, much to his dismay, he was far ahead among his friends. On the very first day of his arrival to this prestigious school, the young prodigy had surprised half of the school with his almost unbelievable skill in both mathematic and physic. He scored a perfect score for his entrance test, which made him as the first one for the past a century.

But that was not all. He joined the school's known strong team only to place himself as the only first freshman regular on the team – if they considered him as a freshman although he is the third year student. Rumors and gossips spread over to the whole school – the arrival of one certain young genius from America.

Ryoma had accustomed with people's gazes in awe spotted to him. He knew that they admired him with pure awe – but somehow, as his father always stated, he will be always "mada mada". He didn't like tennis, so why people kept pushing him to strive and play better? What did they expect from him? And, why? Why did people don't understand him, what he wanted for, what he desired for?

_For what and for whom I do all of these things, for all these times? Am I enjoying my life? _

He was so deep with his thoughts that he didn't realize that he had reached the tennis indoor courts building. He too was almost bumped himself on someone in front of him, "Hey, watch where are you going, will you? Are you okay?"

Echizen looked up and blinked. He knew this person, but he could not remember his name. He frowned, "Mm… you are…"

"What, the rumor that says you are horrible with names is true." The taller boy laughed softly. He had a soft brown hair, and he was smiling. His eyes were closed.. "I am your physic class classmate's, Fuji Shuusuke. My desk is right behind you, remember now?"

"Oh." Echizen nodded, shifted his tennis bag. "Fuji-senpai, I'm sorry."

"Fuji is fine with me; we are in the same grade after all. Come on, be hurry, practice is going to start in any minute. By the way, where is Marui? Why are you not with him?"

Echizen shrugged. "I came back earlier."

"I see." Fuji opened his eyes, examining the younger boy in front of him. He frowned a bit at the sight his eyes caught up. _Something is very wrong with this boy…_

"Are you really ok?" asked Fuji.

Echizen's golden eyes glared at Fuji's electric blue one. "I'm fine, thanks Fuji-senpai." And he continued his walking to the building, leaving the tensai behind.

Fuji's frown deepened. "Echizen. Ryoma… he's a living empty soul… he's only an emptiness inside and outside. Should talk about this with the other regulars…"

Fuji closed his eyes again and turned back to the building.

The building held about twenty courts on it. All of the courts were full by the tennis club members that reached 200 of students. Fuji walked to the A and B court, where the regular's and semi-regular's members were practicing. Fuji spotted the freshman prodigy was having his own practice with their vice captain, Atobe Keigo. Atobe kept provoking Echizen with calling him 'little brat' while Echizen replying his given famous nick name to the great Atobe.

"Mada mada dane, Monkey King." Ryoma smirked as he scored another point, thus ended their games. The referee called, "Game set and match, won by Echizen, 6-2!"

"Next time will be Ore-sama's favor, brat!" Atobe growled.

"Try me, Monkey King." Ryoma shrugged as he left the court to the bench. Atobe joined his teammates.

"Another loses, I see." Yukimura Seiichi chuckled.

"Shut up, Yukimura." Atobe glared at the feminine looking boy with his blue-purplish hair.

"That freshman is more than the National's player level," Inui popped up from somewhere with his usual green notebook, "and he's developing quite fast."

"A 98,7 percent of chance that Echizen Ryoma is going to defeat Seiichi with his current abilities now." Yanagi showed up from behind Kirihara. Kirihara yelled and jumped back in surprise, rubbed his chest, "Yanagi-senpai! Don't do that! You scare me half to death!"

Yanagi ignored him. "Fuji, do you have something to tell us?"

Fuji glanced at Yanagi, smiling like usual. "Ah, what a very pure inner connection that we share, ne, Yanagi."

The regulars shivered at Fuji's words, but Yanagi didn't back off. "What is it, Fuji?"

"It's about our little rookie freshman," Fuji said, his eyes fluttered opened. "I sense something wrong with him, from the beginning."

"He's just strange, isn't he?" suddenly Marui's voice spoke up behind them, making all the regulars slightly jumped on their feet. Marui was panting hard, his hands on his hips.

"Marui?" Sanada turned his head from the B courts. "Where have you been?"

"Caught up late by Tezuka, tch, he made me grounded 50 laps around the building!" Marui scowled. "Damn that Tezuka, I hate him already!"

"Want to run another laps, Marui?" Tezuka's firm voice responded back. Marui backed away, growled, "No, I won't!"

"Why all of you are slacking off? I've been watching all of you gossiping here while the only regular that practicing is Echizen." Tezuka barked at his team. The regulars looked at the court B, catching the freshman's slender figure, serving and volleying balls continuously with incredible concentration.

"Saa…" Fuji smiled. "You want us to running laps too, Tezuka?"

"Stupid!" the regulars hissed in desperation, but it was too late.

"Ground 50 laps around the building outside, now."

The regulars slapped their hands at once on Fuji's back. Fuji chuckled. "Aw, that hurts."

* * *

Echizen shook his head. Tomorrow his math class would hold a test. He sighed and put off his pencil back on to his desk, putting a hand on his forehead. He felt a burning heat radiated under his hand.

"Good… now I'm getting sick…" he murmured. He took a glance on the clock on the wall. It was already two in the morning. He decided to go to bed now; a couple hours of sleep might fresh him up when he woke up later. He turned off the lamp on his desk.

Echizen stared at the white ceiling above. Marui's soft snores could be heard. Echizen clenched his fist.

Suddenly he felt a fire of anger and exhaustion overwhelming him. He got up and abruptly put on his shoes, walked out from the room.

Marui stirred slowly at the sudden sound of the slammed door. He groaned and blinked sleepily, then his eyes widened,

"Echizen?"

* * *

It was raining outside as Echizen dragged his tired legs to the rooftop of the main building. He didn't stop until he reached the rooftop. He found a wire nearby and he locked the door with it.

Tears streamed down his cheeks, becoming one with the droplets of the rain. He was tired of pretending to be not care about being the prodigy. He was angry that none of his family and his friends back in America was ever cared to ask him 'why'.

He missed for being just an ordinary boy. People wanted to be close to him or to be friend of him because _what_ he was, not _whom _he was. He doubted that even his family knew what he had been feeling all these times. His father never asked him whether he liked tennis or not. All his father did just keep pressing him to play and get better, better, better. To be smarter, smarter, smarter, and be the number one.

Echizen screamed and let him self fell down on his knees to the soaked ground. He wanted to befriends with other just because of _who_ is he. He could feel that people were never intended to be his real friends. They never _did_.

Thus, he knew that he would always – and always – be the 'mada mada' for his father. Always. He was still mada mada dane.

He had failed his life. Why did he should keep on living if people did not even know that Echizen Ryoma was there?

He might be succeeded all of those incredible achievements, but he knew that he had failed his life.

He was pathetic…

* * *

Marui blinked confusedly on his bed. It was already two in the morning. School would started within more six hours. What was Echizen doing to stay up until this late?

_Maybe night walking_, Marui shrugged and tried to sleep again, but his body refused to do so. Marui sighed and he walked to Echizen's desk, sat on the chair. He glanced at the physic and mathematic textbooks sprawled on the desk. He frowned at Echizen's small and neat handwriting.

"He's crazy… this is the book's last exercise!" Marui mumbled. He skimmed Echizen's workbook. He opened the last page and he froze.

A… poem? No, much more looked like a random words of thoughts…

Marui began to read it. As he went to read on, his eyes widened.

_I do not know what I have to do anymore. I even do not know what I am living for. I do not know what I am feeling. Did I really want to continue living this trash of life? Until when will I continue these lies? Until when will I suffer like this? Oyaji, why wouldn't you understand? I just want to be your everyday 'normal' son…_

Another words was written too on the corner of the page, the handwriting was curled as the hand which wrote it down was trembling,

_Did I fail my life, Oyaji? Do you even know 'me' is existed?_

Marui shivered. Even though those words were looked simple, but Marui knew that it wasn't a normal thing to think of.

Echizen was suffering. That was why Echizen always looked tired and empty all the time. He was sick because of his family's stupidity and his former friends' unwariness.

Marui dashed to his bed, putting on his shoes and jacket, and rushed to the door. He must tell what he had found to Fuji and the others. They would know what they should do to their youngest player.

* * *

Fuji shifted on his stomach uncomfortably when he heard a knock on his door. Who the hell was knocking his door at time like this? He slowly got up from his bed and opened the door.

"Marui?" Fuji was surprised. "Marui, what are you doing here?"

Marui shrugged and he protruded Echizen's workbook to Fuji's hands. "Here, Fuji. Look at this."

"It's 2 am now, Marui," Fuji frowned a bit. "And you're just telling me to read this? Whose book is this?"

"Echizen's." Marui replied shortly. "Look, Fuji, I'm sorry for bothering you, but I think this is important. I saw him sneaked out from our room."

Fuji opened the book, "It's just a physic notes and exercises, Marui… wait, he have done all of the textbook's questions?"

"Last page, Fuji." Marui said impatiently.

Fuji's eyes opened in shock and disbelief when he read what Echizen wrote, "So that's why he looked like just a dead living soul…"

"Hah?" Marui blinked.

"Come in, Marui, we will gather the rest of the regulars here. You go wake Yukimura up. He's still sleeping there." Fuji pointed to inside his room. "I will call the other. This is serious. We have to do something to help Echizen."

"Why it isn't just you to wake Mura up?" Marui shivered. Fuji smiled at him. "I will call the others instead…"

"Ah… but I would like it to be you. After all, you came from the same junior high school with him."

"That doesn't matter!" Marui argued back.

"Saa… should be hurry, ne, Marui?"

"Fine, fine!" Marui scowled and he went to wake Yukimura up. Fuji chuckled as he picked up the phone on the table, calling the rest of his tennis teammates. Fifteen minutes later, Fuji's and Yukimura's room's door opened, revealing Yanagi, Inui, Tezuka, Kirihara, Atobe, and Sanada on the threshold.

"What happened, Fuji-senpai?" Kirihara hid a big yawn behind his hand. Yukimura giggled at this and he ruffled his beloved kouhai's seaweed hair.

"This is about our new little brother Echizen." Fuji said. "Marui gave me this."

"What's that?" asked Sanada.

"Echizen's physic workbook." Marui answered. "Ne, Mura, do you have any sweets? Candy, or maybe cakes? Bubble gums are more appreciated."

"Ah… I think I saved some of my gums… ah, here it is!" Yukimura said cheerfully as he reached for under his blanket, giving Marui a horrible-looking-shape of gums. Marui gasped, "N-no… thanks…"

Fuji chuckled. Then he began to be serious. "Listen at this." And he read the words written on the book. A tense silence filled up between them.

"What was that for?!" Kirihara snapped, fully woken up from the 'magic' words.

"Saa… I wonder too." Fuji's usual smile was now disappeared from his delicate face.

"Where is he now?" Tezuka asked suddenly. All of the regulars' head turned to their stoic captain.

"I don't know," Marui answered. "Why?"

"It's raining outside." Sanada said calmly, yet his voice was concerned.

"Then let's go looking for him!" said Kirihara impatiently, stood up on his feet.

"Wait. What place he could be though?" demanded Atobe.

"Rooftop." Yanagi and Inui answered in unison. "It's 87,5 percent the main building's rooftop."

"Why there?" asked Yukimura.

"Because he spent most of his break and lunch times there." Again, Yanagi and Inui replied.

"You guys stalked him!" Marui pointed his finger to the two freak data men, shook his head.

"Data, Marui, data." Inui pushed his glasses up.

For a moment, they glanced at each other.

All at once, they rushed to the door and sped to the main building, wearing their coats. The front door was locked, so they tried the back door instead. But it was locked too.

"Get away from there," Yanagi ordered them as he put a wire on the keyhole. A minute later, the door was opened.

"Brilliant, Yanagi-senpai!" Kirihara shouted in enthusiasm.

'Thank you, Akaya," Yanagi bowed slightly and they continued with their rescue for their broken little freshman.

* * *

Echizen opened his eyes slowly and was surprised to find his self on his own bed, in his bedroom. Wait, it was his bedroom at his home in America.

"Ryoma, dear, wake up! Breakfast is ready!" Echizen could hear his mother calling for him. Echizen rubbed his eyes and shouted back, "I'm up, I'm up!"

He was surprised when he heard his voice. He looked at himself on the mirror. He was in his 5-year-old body!

"Was it only a dream?" Echizen asked himself slowly. He smiled happily. Then he shouldn't be worried about it anymore! He jumped off from his bed, and rushed to the kitchen downstairs.

"Kaa-san!" Little Ryoma raised his hands to his mother. Rinko smiled and lifted his son to her arms, kissing his cheeks.

"Good morning, my little Ryoma." Rinko laughed and put her son on the chair.

"Morning, Ryoma." Nanjiroh ruffled his son's hair. "Hm? Why are you looking so happy?"

"Nothing." Ryoma answered cheerfully and drank his milk. "Ne, Oyaji, where is Ryoga?"

"Already stormed off to the park." Nanjiroh flipped his newspaper. "You are so late, Ryoma."

"I'm a growing up child, Oyaji." Ryoma pouted and Rinko giggled.

"Fine, fine! Che, you are getting smarter with your words, seishounen. Oi, Ryoma, how about a warm up now?" Nanjiroh grinned to his son.

Ryoma's face darkened. "Tennis?"

Nanjiroh was stunned. "Why, what's wrong with tennis? Look, seishounen, you have to be stronger! One day you will be the number one tennis player in the world! So, get your racquet now."

Ryoma did not say anything. He looked down at his lap, anger tensed up to his head. Tennis, tennis, and tennis again! Why his father would never understand?

"Anata, you shouldn't push Ryoma like that. He's still five!" Rinko tried to argue her husband, but she was looked like not really intend her words too much.

"Whatever, whatever. But I'm going to make him the youngest and strongest player ever!" Nanjiroh grinned again and he got up from his chair. "Now, seishounen, get your racquet."

Ryoma too stood up abruptly from his chair and he yelled, "I hate Oyaji!"

"Ryoma!" Rinko gasped while Nanjiroh's jaw dropped open.

"Ryoma?" Nanjiroh almost bumped off from his chair, surprised at his son's sudden yell.

"I hate Oyaji!" Ryoma yelled, tears streaking his cheeks. "Why don't you understand? Why?! Why do you keep me playing tennis and doing all of those things?! Why don't you ever try to understand me?! Why don't you ever care to ask my feelings, what I'm feeling, or what I want?"

"Ryoma…" Rinko trembled on her spot. Nanjiroh's eyes widened.

"I hate Oyaji!" Ryoma screamed and he stormed off from the kitchen to the front door.

"Ryoma! Wait! Ryoma!" Nanjiroh shouted but his son was already out from the house.

Ryoma kept running and he did not stop until he reached the edge of the cliff nearby the house. He was shaking uncontrollably. It's always like that. Oh, how he hated his father so much! And his mother just did nothing. Why did everyone don't want to understand? Did his parents truly love him?

Ryoma sobbed, wiping his tears. Boys don't cry. Everyone said so. But it's ok to cry sometimes, right?

Ryoma walked again to the street, wandering aimlessly. What should he do in this situation? How to make his family to understand him? He was so fragile yet he was unreached.

_What should I do?_

Ryoma didn't realize that he was walking to the middle of the street. So he didn't realize too that a car sped to his direction. All he could remember was darkness and pain formed in his body…

* * *

"It's locked!" Atobe growled and he kicked the door repeatedly in growing anger only to get his thumbs throbbing in pain.

"It makes the probability if someone is really there is 88,6 percent," said Yanagi.

"Shit! Now how the hell are we going to open this door?!" Marui snapped. "If Echizen is really there, God damn it it's raining heavily outside! Damn it, Echizen!"

"With this, right?" Tezuka grabbed the wire that Yanagi held on his hand and Tezuka put in on the key hole, again. And the door slammed opened.

All of them walked to the rooftop, droplets of rain hit them. Suddenly Marui yelled, "Shit, Echizen!"

Marui rushed forward. At once, the regulars spotted a sprawling figure on the ground, soaking wet and unconscious.

"Echizen-kun!" Yukimura cried out. Sanada approached Marui and Echizen. He placed Echizen's head on his lap.

"Echizen." Sanada shook the boy gently, but he got no response. Sanada frowned a bit when he saw something unnatural. "Shit, his breathing is rapid!"

"What?" Fuji's eyes snapped open. "Sanada, what – "

"He had been sick before," Sanada put his hand on the boy's forehead. "Come on – let's bring him to the hospital. He's barely breathing, I told you."

Sanada lifted up the boy on his arms and he led his teammates back to the building. Marui punched the door of the school's hospital, "Nurse! Please, open the door! Oi!"

Moments later the door opened, the nurse rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Hey, what happ – "

Sanada broke through and he placed Echizen's body on a bed. "Please, Nurse, get us dry clothes for him and towels. Come on, hurry, he is very sick!"

Marui growled and walked pass the frozen nurse to a wardrobe nearby, grabbed some clothes and towels and a thick blanket. Marui pulled the curtain closed and he and Sanada began to work at Echizen.

"What happened?" asked the nurse, completely surprised and confused.

She got no answer from the concerned and worried regulars.

"Just get us a doctor, please." Tezuka said eventually.

* * *

Echizen stirred slowly and fluttered his eyes opened. He blinked. He felt his whole body was very heavy and could not move even his hand. His head was giving him a terrible pain as if a hammer hit it continuously. He groaned in pain.

He realized that he was in the school's hospital wing. _What happened?_ He thought, confused.

"You're awake." A voice said in relief. Echizen slowly drifted his eyes to the talking figure.

His roommate, Marui Bunta.

"Marui-senpai…" Echizen murmured.

"You look terrible," said Marui as he sat on the chair beside Echizen's bed. "How are you feeling now, Echizen?"

"What happened?" asked Echizen slowly. His voice was hoarse.

"We found you on the rooftop soaking wet," said Marui, shrugged. "What the hell were you doing there, Echizen?"

Echizen mumbled something. "Nothing…"

"You were unconscious for almost two weeks, you know," Marui added. "So, how are you feeling now?"

Echizen panicked at the words 'two weeks'. "What? T-two weeks? Marui-senpai, what did I miss from the classes? Is there any assignments or tasks? Can you bring me your notes and – "

"Oi, oi, Echizen, slower will you?" Marui shook his head. "You're sick, for God's sake! Very sick, you know that? You have caught pneumonia, the worst one too! You're not allowed to get off from your bed for more four days! Doctor told us so."

"Us?"

"Well, actually the regulars and I were the one who found you. Sanada was taking a very good care of you for the past two weeks."

"But I have to – " Echizen argued, but Marui shook his head again.

"I said 'no', Echizen." Marui's voice was stern. "I will be watching for you from now on. You're lack of sleep and nourishment."

"I'm fine, thank you so much Marui-senpai," said Echizen nonchalantly.

"You're not." Marui barked at Echizen. Echizen's eyes widened in surprise. "Look, Echizen, I know what you have been suffering for all these times. You don't have to keep your feelings and thought all by yourself, you know."

"What do you mean?" Echizen's hissed and glared, but Marui could sense a piece of fear on the younger boy's voice.

Marui sighed. "Echizen, why don't you tell your parents what are you feelings? You wouldn't get any better if you don't talk to them."

"You didn't call them, did you?" asked Echizen, more panicked.

"What, of course we did, Echizen! The headmaster did it. He said they will come to see you today." Marui explained. "Oi, Echizen. Really, you can't keep running away like this. If you don't make any change or move now, your life is not going to be better."

"It's none of your business, Marui-senpai."

"Yeah, why not?" Marui tensed up.

"Because it's none of your business." Echizen stated in his flat voice, which made Marui even angrier.

"Of course it is, Echizen! You stupid! Damn, I'm your friend! We're your friend! We care about you!" Marui snapped.

Echizen's mouth was agape. Marui blushed and backed off a bit.

"Well – we are your friend, Echizen, and yeah, we do care about you!" Marui continued nervously. "Don't you know that all of us have been watching of you? You made us very worried back then! And Fuji just can feel something wrong about you – "

"Why all of you would consider me as your friend?" asked Echizen suddenly.

"Huh?" Marui blinked.

"Why all of you would consider me as a 'friend'?" repeated Echizen, eyeing Marui curiously.

Marui stuttered. "W-well, because you are our friend! Well, we like you! Being friends don't have any reason!"

"You befriend me because I wasn't the prodigy or whatever they called me, Marui-senpai?" demanded Echizen again, his eyes softened a bit.

"Of course not!" Now Marui was amused. "Why, Echizen? We befriend you because we like you! You may an anti-social brat, but, you know, the regulars know from the beginning that you are a very interesting person."

"Huh?" Echizen blinked.

"That's the point and I'm not going to tell you again! Remember that, brat." Marui grinned and ruffled Echizen's hair.

"Let me go, Marui-senpai."

"Remember this too, Echizen. Promise me on thing."

"What?"

"Just say that you promise me."

"Why should I do that?" Echizen glared at Marui.

"Brat! Because the regulars and I were the one who saved you! You might be dead by now if we didn't find you."

Echizen shrugged. "Fine, fine."

"Promise me and the regulars that if you're having problem, you will tell us. We'll be very glad to help you, Echizen."

"Why should the regulars too?" Echizen scowled.

"Hey, I told you already!" Marui pouted.

"Fine, fine. Mada mada dane." Echizen smirked.

Marui glared at the freshman, popping his gum, "Tch.'

"… Thank you, Marui-senpai."

Marui was stunned and he smirked, "Mada mada to you too, Echizen."

* * *

**This might come up with the sequel... tell me If you want a sequel and I will make it. Don't forget, review please, ok? Please, review after you read this! *bowed* thank you!**

**~zephirus  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Prince of Tennis – Unreached**

Disc. : I don't own Prince of Tennis. Shame, I don't own Ryoma and Marui too…

**NOTE : I'M BACK!!! YEAH!!! Even my condition still not very well enough... but after all, i'm back. i will start typing the 'we are here for one another' tomorrow or maybe the day after... i'm still feeling a bit weak. here i present you the Unreached, completed and reedited! i hope you enjoy this. and please read and... review!! now on to the story.  
**

* * *

Marui yawned. He sighed and looked out from the window. His physic teacher was giving his most boring lectures about mechanical gravitation. He rubbed his temple and put his head on his desk, ready for shifting to the dreamland.

Echizen was still in the hospital wing. The doctor and the nurse forbid him to get off from there for the next four days. Echizen's pneumonia was quite serious. Echizen's parents had come two hours ago, but Marui and the regulars had not known yet how Echizen faced his parents with his inferiority.

Marui felt something hit his head. An eraser. He cursed silently and looked around, ready to pay back who ever it was. But when he realized that it was Fuji who threw the eraser, Marui cancelled his intention.

"What?" Marui hissed. Fuji was sitting right next to his right. Fuji smiled and now he threw a paper to Marui. Marui looked down and read it,

_How is Echizen? Did he talk to his parents?_

Marui stole a quick glance to his teacher. His teacher was deep with his own lectures, not knowing that all of his students were sleeping behind their big textbooks. Marui wrote something on the paper and gave the paper back to Fuji.

_Don't know. That stupid nurse kicked me out so I cannot skip class for hearing the Echizens. You're worried about him, are you?_

Fuji chuckled at Marui's answer and he wrote back,

_All of us do, ne, Marui-chan. Wanna go with me after classes to visit Ryo-chan?_

Marui twitched. Going with Fuji means disaster.

_We'll see that later. I've got something to do for Echizen for his math's class. Maybe I'll go around seven or so._

Fuji smiled. He nodded and he paid his attention back to their teacher.

Marui jerked a bit. _Fuji is really scary_, he thought and he fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

"Bunta."

Marui stopped and turned back to face Yukimura. Yukimura smiled gently and approached him.

"Mura." Marui nodded. "What's up?"

"Have you seen Ryoma-kun?" Yukimura asked as both of them walked together in the corridor, going to their next class, English. Marui shrugged.

"Not yet. The stupid nurse didn't let me to see him. He was talking with his parents, apparently," Marui stated his thought. "Ne, Mura?"

"Hm?" Yukimura looked at his friend, tilting his head.

"Do you think Echizen can… er… handle his problems?" Marui asked, his voice sounded doubtful. "You know that Echizen is not good with words and knowing his anti-social personality… I'm just wondering…"

They finally reached their English class and they walked in. Tezuka, Sanada, and Atobe were there too. Marui and Yukimura made their way to their teammates.

"Any news from Echizen?" asked Tezuka, his voice surrounded by concern.

"Stupid nurse." Marui growled and put his head on his desk – again.

"Why?" Atobe raised a brow.

"They wouldn't let us to see Ryo-kun," said Yukimura, his eyes were glinting dangerously. "And about your words earlier, Bunta… who knows."

"What's going on here?" Sanada tensed up, glaring at Marui. Marui knew this and he backed off as far as possible from Sanada.

"Now, Genichirou," Yukimura chuckled. "Calm down. Bunta is just thinking if Echizen-kun can through his problems… know him as an anti-social 'brat', just like how you call him, Atobe."

Atobe scowled. "Shut up, Yukimura. He's indeed a brat. You see his cocky attitudes."

"He's enjoying new challenges, Atobe," Sanada glared Atobe off. "And I think we all know how arrogant and brat you as well."

"Ore-sama did not! Ore-sama just…" Atobe started, but Marui cut him off, "Shut up, Atobe. Don't say things like 'be awed by my prowess' or such, it made me veery sick. Annoying!" Marui tucked his tongue out, popping his gum.

"Stop it," Tezuka barked, and Atobe and Marui stopped, glaring at each other. "Twenty laps later, Atobe, Marui."

"What?!" Marui yelled and jumped from his chair, pointing his finger to Atobe who was cursing Tezuka. "I didn't do anything! Tezuka, how you – "

"Thirty laps." Tezuka turned back and reaching for his books.

"Ore-sama demanded you to do not giving me laps, Tezuka! It was all that stupid sweet maniac's fault!" Atobe scoffed.

"Don't call me stupid, Monkey King!" Marui shouted, using Echizen's given nickname to Atobe.

"Ore-sama is not a monkey king!" Atobe spat back. "Ore-sama is a wonderful and generous heir of the famous Atobe's – "

"Enough!" Tezuka twitched. "Atobe. You're the fukubuchou! Know you behavior! Sanada!"

Sanada stepped forward, a glint of satisfaction flashed on his eyes. "Tarundoru. 500 laps."

Marui and Atobe froze, unable to say anything.

* * *

Nanjiroh and Rinko were in their concern and guilty. At the moment they saw their son's pale face and pale skin, Nanjiroh felt like his heart was ripped off forcedly from his chest and Rinko burst into tears.

"Ryoma…" Rinko whispered, approaching her son. She caressed Ryoma's face softly and hugged him. This caused Ryoma opened his eyes. For a moment, he couldn't believe the sight his eyes gave him, "Kaa-san…?"

"I'm sorry, Ryoma!" Rinko cried and she hugged Ryoma even more. "I'm sorry – we're sorry! Oh, dear – if only we knew… why didn't you tell us?"

Ryoma stiffened at this. He could feel anger running into his head again and this made his head pounding in pain. He didn't answer his mother.

Rinko backed off as she felt his son's body stiffened, "Ryoma…?"

Ryoma stood up from his position and stared at his mother. "Why do you come?"

Rinko cried even more, "Dear, what are you talking about? We're worried about you! Isn't it obvious that we wanted to see you?"

Ryoma's eyes were blank. "No."

"Ryoma!" Nanjiroh said warningly, slightly tensed up at his son's behavior.

"What?" Ryoma glared at Nanjiroh. "Why do you even care to see me? Don't you care even if I'm dead, as long I'm the number one and the genius? Go on. I don't need your concern."

"You, brat!" Nanjiroh raised his arm but he stopped in the mid of air. Ryoma didn't back off, kept his eyes on his father's.

"Why did you stop?" asked Ryoma casually, as if nothing had happened. "Go on, hit me. See?"

"Dear, we're so sorry," Rinko grabbed Ryoma's hand. "Please, I'm sorry. I know we were wrong. We didn't bother even to ask you. We didn't even to bother to think of your feelings. Please, forgive us, honey, will you? We – "

"Shut up!" suddenly Ryoma yelled, grasped his hand off from his mother. His face was red now. "Shut up! Don't talk to me like that as if you care about me! After years and now suddenly you say you're 'sorry'? Get away from me! I don't want to see you! Go!"

Suddenly Nanjiroh felt very guilty and angry – to himself. Yes. To himself for being so stupid and being so impatient. And now his very son was yelling at him, letting out his anger and frustration for years. His son hated him.

No wonder.

"Ryoma, please – " Rinko tried to speak, but Ryoma jumped off from his bed, panting.

"Go!" he attempted to shout, but his voice was husky. "Go – I don't want to see you. I hate you!"

"Ryoma, dear, please! Please listen to us! We're so sorry, dear, please!" Rinko sobbed, trying to hug her son. But anger was overwhelming Ryoma and nothing that Rinko said would affect him.

"After years!" Ryoma tried to yelled out all of his anger, but again, his voice betrayed him. "After years! You don't know how I've been suffering! You don't know how bad I want to be your normal son! You don't know how bad I want to spend my times with you! But all you did was pushing me down! You – " suddenly Ryoma stopped, he clutched his chest and he slowly fell down to the floor.

"Dear!" Rinko rushed to Ryoma, but Ryoma slapped her hand away.

"Go." Now Ryoma's voice was very cold. "Go."

"Ryoma, please!"

"Just GO! Can't you hear me? I don't want to see you again! Just – "

"Echizen."

Ryoma stopped and looked back. Fuji Shuusuke was staring at him, his eyes opened. Fuji offered his hand to Ryoma but Ryoma ignored it. He stood up shakily and put his hand on the edge of his bed.

"What do you want?" demanded Ryoma flatly, his face was unreadable. A second later, Marui showed up from behind the tensai. Ryoma's eyes widened a bit, but he kept his face stoic.

"Echizen, calm down." Even Marui didn't have his gum in his mouth.

"Go. This is none of your business." Ryoma barked at his senpais.

"We just want to help you," said Fuji calmly, stepped forward. "We would like to talk to your parents."

"I said, none of your business." Ryoma glared at Fuji. "Moreover, it's no use, Fuji-senpai. Thank you for concerning about me, but this is none of your business. Just go."

"Then I guess we should talk without you, Ryoma," Fuji smiled. "Saa… shall we go, Echizen-san?"

"Who are you?" asked Nanjiroh, eyeing the honey-haired boy suspiciously. He narrowed his eyes.

"I'm Fuji Shuusuke, third year, Ryoma's teammate in the tennis club and his classmate in Physic's class," said Fuji calmly, bowing and smiling. "Nice to meet you, Echizen-san."

"I'm Marui Bunta, third year, Echizen's roommate and teammate in the tennis club and his classmate in Mathematics' class," said Marui, a bit uncomfortable. He was always felt uncomfortable around adults and formal situation. He bowed. "Nice to meet you, Echizen-san."

"You're not going to tell them anything," Ryoma stated angrily.

"Of course we are, Ryoma," Fuji tilted his head. "We want to help you. Now if you would, please go lay back down on your bed. You look not really well, ne, Ryoma."

"You're not," Ryoma insisted to prevent his annoying senpai. "And I'm completely fine."

"Fuji-senpai, I tell you for the last time – "

Marui pushed Ryoma back to the bed and called, "Nurse, please call the doctor! Fuji, you go ahead. I will join you later after I'm done with this brat."

"Ok," Fuji smiled and nodded, gesturing the Echizens to go out with him. Nanjiroh and Rinko followed Fuji out from the room.

"Marui-senpai, what are you – " Ryoma yelled, but Marui put his hand on Ryoma's mouth. The doctor came seconds later with the nurse in tow.

"Doctor, please, take care of him," Marui nodded. "Keep him away from us for a moment, will you?"

The doctor nodded and with that, Marui left.

* * *

"We found this on his desk," said Fuji softly, protruded Ryoma's book to Rinko. Rinko opened it and found nothing wrong, but Fuji said, "It's the last page, Echizen-san."

Rinko opened it and together with her husband, reading the words written on it. As they went to read on, Nanjiroh and Rinko's eyes grew wide. Rinko put her hand on her mouth.

"That's all what he have been feeling all these times, Echizen-san," Fuji spoke again. It was when Marui came out from the door.

"Echizen was often to stay up late until morning," said Marui, shrugged. "Doing all the textbook's exercises. I also found him got a problem with sleeps. He often wakes up in the midnight and then unable to go back to sleep."

"That worse?" Nanjiroh hissed in disbelief.

"Apparently," Fuji nodded. "Echizen-san, I think Ryoma is under pressure of your insistence for making him the best. He never liked tennis and he never liked being in spot. He's a type of a quiet person and chooses not to be in spot and crowd. Echizen-san, I'm suggesting you to talk to him later if you don't want to make his condition worsen. Please be his true parents and be there when he needs you. Make him talk, even a bit. He's still very young, and he needs to be understood."

Nanjiroh hugged his wife into his embrace and nodded stiffly to Fuji. "Thank you so much. We will."

* * *

A month later after that incident happened, the regulars found that Echizen still in their team and didn't show any intend to quit the club. Instead, he's getting better and better. Marui noticed that the current Echizen looked more relaxed and he didn't spend all his times with his books and tasks again. He still didn't talk to much and often voicing out his cocky and arrogant comments, but now he did it without any sinister, he seemed enjoyed every moment he had with his 'annoying senpais'.

"Why didn't you quit the tennis club? I thought you hate tennis," Marui told the younger boy.

Echizen shrugged. Again, he's not the types who talk much, moreover, his feeling. So, he didn't answer Marui's question.

"Echizen?" Marui said doubtfully.

Echizen scowled and finally he said, "It's not like that, Marui-senpai."

"Oh, so? What is it, Ryo-kun?" suddenly Yukimura's voice joined them. Echizen jerked and he saw all of the regulars were now surrounding him and Marui.

"None." Echizen mumbled, tried to escape from the devils.

"Come on, Echizen-kun. I'm the one who helped you, didn't I?" Fuji's voice sounded calm yet very sly. Echizen shivered.

"Fine." He finally snapped. "I'm just – it's not like I hate tennis. I… I like it. I hated it when it comes to Oyaji. I want… want to play because not of my father. I'm not Oyaji."

Yukimura chuckled and he ruffled Echizen's hair. "Good to hear you speak like that, Ryo-kun. From now on, let's do our best, ne? And let's do anything at our own will."

"Echizen. Be our pillar of support." Sanada said sternly.

"Don't let your guard down," Tezuka added and nodded firmly.

Echizen smirked and pulled his cap lower, "Mada mada dane, Senpai-tachi."

* * *

**That's the last chapter. I know I didn't do very well with this, I'm sorry. Please let me know what you think. In other word… please review! Thank you so much. Review!~**

**~zephirus**


End file.
